9 Times Blake Lively Was the Belle of the Met Ball

Established in 1948, the storied Met Gala was a midnight dinner with tickets costing just $50 each and proceeds going toward the funding of the newly established Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum on New York City's Upper East Side. Fast-forward a few decades, position Anna Wintour at the helm, and put Instagram at everyone's fingertips, and the Met Gala has become the most anticipated fashion event of the year.

Of course, this isn't news to one of the most famous Upper East Siders to ever grace our collective conscious—we're confident Serena van der Woodsen would have made it beyond the Met steps and into the storied ball if, you know, she had been a real person. Fortunately, we have Blake Lively for that.

Having attended the Met Gala for nine out of the past 10 (and soon to be 11) years, it's easy to see why Lively is a favorite for both fashion insiders and plebian enthusiasts alike. Below, see all of Blake Lively's Met Gala gowns to date, and keep your eyes on Who What Wear for coverage of this year's big event on Monday, May 6.